"First Day of Issue" (FDOI) coins
have been very popular amongst several series of coins, including
small dollars. As far as I can determine, the collecting of FDOI
coins began with the Susan B. Anthony
Dollar. I have been told that a small
amount FDOI covers were created for the first day of release of
the Kennedy Half Dollar on March 24, 1964, but I have not yet
been able to verify that. In any case it became popular with the
Anthony Dollar FDOI Covers. The U. S. Mint issued a "First
Day of Issue Commemorative Coin Cover" for the Sacagawea Dollar. The Mint did not issue FDOI covers for the Anthony
Dollar. Private entrepreneurs stepped in and created FDOI covers
for the Anthony Dollar. The Mint is creating FDOI covers for each
of the Presidential Dollars. Several of the "third party
grading" companies are also holdering the Presidential
Dollars in FDOI holders.

The
U. S. Mint's "American Presidency
$1 Coin Cover Series"

The U. S. Mint will
showcase the new Presidential $1 Coins in collectible Philatelic
Numismatic Covers (PNC's). Each cover contains
Philadelphia and Denver Mint coins struck on the first
day of production and a stamp cancelled with a postmark
dated on the first day of issue. For more information on
this series, click HERE.

THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF
PRESIDENTIAL DOLLAR FIRST DAY
OF ISSUE COIN COVERS. ONE WILL BE RELEASED FOR EACH OF
THE PRESIDENTIAL DOLLARS.

This "First Day of
Release" 2007-D Washington Dollar was given out by ANACS at the Long
Beach Coin, Stamp, and Collectibles Expo held in
Long Beach, California on February 15 - 17, 2007. ANACS
only made 48 of these complimentary giveaways.

These "sample slabs" are listed on
page 77 of the book "Sample Slabs",
2nd edition, released in July 2016. The catalog number
assigned to them is ANACS-100-2-3. Click HERE to go to the Sample Slab Book.com's website.

DID YOU KNOW?

Even
though the Dollar has been the staple of U. S. coinage
since it was first
struck in 1794, the Dollar sign $ was used for the first
time on our coinage
with the release of the Presidential Dollars in 2007.

Here are two 2007 George
Washington Presidential Dollars, one each from the
Philadelphia and Denver Mints in an NGC holder designated as "First Day of
Issue".

NGC's criteria
for a coin to receive the "First Day of Issue"
designation is as follows: "NGC will
designate FIRST DAY OF ISSUE on circulating US Coins that
have an official release date. To qualify, coins must be
received by NGC on the official release date or by
overnight mail or air carrier on the day immediately
following the official release date. Alternatively, coins
still packed in sealed US Mint issue First Day Covers are
eligible for this designation. Private issue covers are
not accepted." FROM
NGC's WEB SITE

Here is PCGS's version of a "First Day of Issue"
holder for the Presidential Dollar series.

PCGS's criteria for a
coin to receive the "First Day of Issue"
designation is as follows:"Presidential
coins delivered to PCGS on the first official day of
their release or sent in sealed packages postmarked on
that date will qualify for a special First Day of Issue
designation. First Day of Issue is only available through
the PCGS Bulk Submissions program. Each order must
contain a minimum of 100 coins."FROM
PCGS's WEB SITE

Click HERE to see a PCGS
"First Day of Issue" George Washington Dollar
that also has a plain edge.

Here is PCI's "First
Day of Issue" holder for the Presidential Dollar
series.

Pictured is a Jefferson
Dollar First Day of Issue in a "JT Stanton Signature
Series" holder. These were made exclusively for coin
dealer Ken
Potter. A maximum number of 500
per Mint was planned but cut short due to JT Stanton's
unexpected departure from PCI. There were only 50 each
made for the Philadelphia and Denver Mints.

Here is
a nice set made up of the first five
Presidential Dollars. Each roll has been
postmarked on its respective first day of
issue. The postmark on each is from
Sundown, Texas, 79372.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHIRLEY
PENNER

JAMES MONROE

JOHN ADAMS

THOMAS JEFFERSON

JAMES MADISON

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK HOOTEN

Rolls of
2007 George Washington Dollars were readily available on
the official release date of February 15, 2007. Many
collectors placed a stamp on the rolls and took them to
the Post Office to have the stamp cancelled with a
postmark dated February 15, 2007. The rolls pictured on
the left were cancelled in Bozeman, Montana.

The
official release date for the Thomas Jefferson
Presidential Dollar was August 16, 2007. However, the
U.S. Mint's official release ceremony was held the
day before on August 15th at the Jefferson Memorial in
the Nation's Capital. Attendees to the event were invited
to exchange dollar bills for the new coins, one day ahead
of their official release nationwide. Here are a couple
of rolls of the Jefferson Presidential $1 obtained at the
release ceremony. As proof, they were taken to the
Southwest Station Post Office in Washington, DC where an
August 15th postmark was applied. The top roll in the
photo on the left has a 2004 Lewis and Clark Centennial
37¢ Stamp affixed to it. The one on the bottom has a
1966 Jefferson Memorial Beautification 5¢ Stamp affixed.